A U.S. federal jury has convicted Ryan Routh, 59, of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during a September 2024 incident at Trump’s private golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Routh, a North Carolina native who had been living in Hawaii, was found guilty on all counts, including the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and multiple firearms offenses. He now faces a possible life sentence, with sentencing set for December 18.
The Incident
On September 15, 2024, Trump — then campaigning for the presidency — was playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago residence when a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle protruding from bushes along the course perimeter.
The agent opened fire, prompting Routh to flee. He was arrested shortly afterward, and investigators recovered a semiautomatic rifle with a scope, extended magazine, and a round already chambered.
Authorities later discovered a note in which Routh explicitly admitted the act was “an assassination attempt on Donald Trump,” along with a list of Trump’s scheduled appearances.
Courtroom Drama
Throughout his trial — which began on September 8 in Fort Pierce, Florida — Routh chose to represent himself, delivering what prosecutors and observers described as erratic arguments.
His unusual courtroom behavior included challenging Trump to a golf match, requesting access to a putting green, and delivering an opening statement that veered into topics ranging from human evolution to Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin, and the Ukraine war.
Judges repeatedly interrupted his remarks and cleared the jury from the room after he attempted to introduce new evidence against court rules.
In closing arguments, Lead Prosecutor John Shipley urged jurors to focus on the “mountain of evidence” that showed Routh had obsessively planned the attack over months.
“You have a loaded rifle with the safety off, a round in the chamber, and a list of Trump’s appearances,” Shipley said. “That is intent.”
Routh, however, argued there had been no true assassination attempt since he never pulled the trigger, insisting he was “not a violent man.” His closing remarks — delivered in the third person — touched on U.S. history, his plan to buy a boat, and other unrelated topics.
Aftermath and Reactions
Routh reportedly attempted to stab himself with a pen after the verdict was read but was quickly restrained by U.S. Marshals.
In a post on social media, Trump expressed gratitude to law enforcement and witnesses, calling Routh “an evil man with evil intentions.” He added: “This was a very big moment for justice in America.”
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the attempted assassination was “not just an attack on our president, but an affront to our nation itself.”
The conviction comes against the backdrop of heightened political violence in the United States.
Routh’s plot followed the July 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania rally shooting, where a gunman killed one and injured several others — including Trump himself.
Commenting on the verdict, FBI Director Kash Patel warned: “We have a lot more work to do to crack down on political violence and ensure those who engage in such heinous acts are taken off the streets.”
